For Standard 8- Collaborative Relationships I chose to use an informational pamphlet handout I composed for a Special Education course.

The pamphlet focused on the disability of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This artifact successfully encompasses the criteria of Standard 8 because it educated individuals on a particular disability, arguably the first step needed in being able to build and maintain a collaborative relationship between individuals to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical and social and emotional development in a situation where a student has special needs. The pamphlet not only gives a brief description of the disability, but also provides characteristics, possible treatments, effective ways to work with individuals who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. The artifact also lists support resources and other informational sources. The pamphlet offers local resources for families or parents to utilize in order to become more informed about the disability, support groups for individuals and families affected by the disorder, strategies parents or teachers can use to more effectively work with individuals with OCD, and addresses questions or concerns individuals may have concerning the disorder, its treatment, and its management, which successfully encompasses Performance Indicator T. Furthermore, by addressing how teachers working with students affected by OCD can collaborate with teachers, other students, outside professionals, and local groups, my artifact successfully displays Knowledge Indicator A. This informative packet is a resourceful tool for teachers educating students with OCD as it provides information to better understand the disability and therefore better tailor the education to the specific student. Furthermore, the tools provided in the pamphlet can help educators better understand the roles and importance of such students with special needs and therefore design and implement the most effective individualized instruction for each student. This artifact shows my development as a novice teacher as displays my understanding of different research tactics as well as my ability to compose informational material for my peers. Furthermore, I successfully show, through this artifact, my ability to collaborate with others.